Contempt prior to investigation 7/28

Last week I wrote a post called My sneaky Ego 7/17. In it I shared this quote that is currently transforming my intentions and actions.

“Spiritually ill people, ego driven people have an absolute inability to observe or listen to hear or see anything new. They only are capable of observing or listening to see how they are already right.”

Since hearing those words I have tried to become aware of where I might be doing this in my own life.

It can also be simply put – where am I making assumptions to prove my own rightness? ( for me – it’s in a lot of places)

There is a concept that I learned early in recovery that goes hand in hand with this idea. It is found in a piece of recovery literature and I believe it was originally said by Herbert Spencer:

“There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all argument and which cannot fail to keep man in everlasting ignorance. This principle is contempt prior to investigation.”

I remember reading that when I was new in recovery, and my fragile ego was wanting to be anything but ignorant!! ha ha

Today…I look at it like this.

If I am busy making assumptions about what I already think I know…then I am missing all of the beauty of what actually is or could be.

Gods grace and beauty come when I allow it, not when I overthink it.

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